Add These 8 Foods to Your Diet for

When we think about improving the health of our hair, skin, and nails, our first thought may be to hit the beauty counter. Products promise to strengthen our nails, lengthen our hair, and keep our skin looking refreshed.
However, you may want to take a detour to the supermarket. What you put in your body may be just as important as what you put on it.

“Your skin and body will be a reflection of what you’re putting in your body,” says Alain Michon, the medical director at the Ottawa Skin Clinic and a board certified medical professional with the American Academy of Aesthetic Medicine.
It sounds feasible—delicious, even. But is it possible to eat your way to better, healthier hair, skin, and nails? Here’s what research and three experts say.

Does food impact hair, skin, and nails?
You’ve likely heard about scientific support for the idea that certain foods can support heart health.
But what about hair, skin, and nails? The research is evolving and, at times, mixed.
What foods to eat and why
Though research is evolving, particularly for nails and skin, nutrition can be a low-cost, low-risk way to attempt to improve hair, skin, and nail growth.

Here’s what some dieticians and dermatologists suggest putting on your plate.
Fatty fish
Katie Tomaschko, MS, RDN, says seafood rich in omega-3 fatty acids can benefit the hair and skin.
“Omega-3 fatty acids could help reduce inflammation and redness in the body and skin,” says Tomaschko, a private practitioner in Buffalo, N.Y. “They’re also a rich source of protein, the powerful antioxidant vitamin E, and biotin, a nutrient that supports keratin production.”

Fish she recommends are:
• salmon
• herring
• mackerel
Sweet potatoes
Tomaschko notes that sweet potatoes are rich in the carotenoid beta-carotene, which she says is a precursor for vitamin A.

“Vitamin A promotes keratin production and is essential for skin and nail health,” Tomaschko says.
Nuts and seeds
Tomaschko says some seeds, particularly sunflower seeds, are good sources of:
• biotin
• protein
• vitamin E

Avocados
Tomaschko says avocados are rich in healthy fats and nutrients that promote skin and nail health, including:
• vitamin C
• vitamin A
• vitamin E

Eggs
Protein is an essential part of a hair-healthy diet, Doebrich says.
“Our hair is made of a protein called keratin, so a diet insufficient in protein may make hair brittle,” Doebrich says.

Dark, leafy greens
Loading up on leafy greens provides the body with plenty of nutrients that can benefit the hair, skin, and nails.
Examples of dark, leafy greens include:
• spinach
• kale
• swiss chard
• bok choy
• collard greens

Water-rich foods
Drinking water isn’t the only way to up your intake. Tomaschko says some foods have high water content, including:
• cucumbers
• watermelon
• celery
• apples
• peaches
• tomatoes
• lettuce
• cantaloupe
• strawberries